Page 91 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

Positive.

I'm pregnant.

The room spins, and I have to sit down on the edge of the tub.

A baby. Everett's baby. Our baby.

I stare at the little plastic stick again, my heart pounding in my ears.

A wave of emotions crashes over me—fear, excitement, disbelief. This wasn't part of the plan.

Hell, I didn't even have a plan beyond getting to Silver Ridge and starting over. But now...

My hand drifts to my stomach, cradling the tiny life growing inside me. A baby. Everett's baby. Despite the chaos swirling around us, this little one is a piece of him, a bond that can never be broken.

I think back to my own childhood, the way Meme stepped in to raise Kendrick and me when our mother couldn't. Or wouldn't. Danielle was just a kid herself when she had us—fifteen, alone, and completely unprepared for the realities of motherhood.

I remember the nights I'd lie awake, listening for her footsteps, praying she'd come home. The disappointment came when morning came, and she was still gone. The ache of abandonment never really went away.

Meme did her best to fill that void, showering us with the love and stability our mother couldn't provide. But even her support couldn't erase the damage of being left behind.

As I got older, I vowed I'd never put a child through that kind of pain. Better to remain alone than to bring an innocent life into the world only to let it down.

But, feeling this new life flutter within me, everything has changed. This baby hasn't done anything to deserve the baggage I've been carrying. They deserve a chance at the kind of love and security I always craved.

I may not have planned for this, but I'll be damned if I let my past dictate this child's future. If Meme could rise above her circumstances to create a safe haven for me, then I can do the same for my baby.

A soft smile curves my lips as I imagine reading bedtime stories, going on family adventures, and showering this little one with all the affection I have to give. I want to be the kind of mother who's always there, a steady presence to rely on.

But the question is, can Everett open himself up to this? To me and the baby?

I won't lie, the prospect of raising this child alone terrifies me. I've seen what a lack of support can do to a family. But I've also witnessed the strength of a mother's love, even in the darkest of times.

And I know without a shadow of a doubt that I can love and protect this baby.

I hear the front door open. The girls are home from their after-school activities. They wanted to take the after-school bus today.

"Miss Kenzie?" Harper calls out. "We're hungry!"

I take a deep breath, pushing down my swirling emotions. The girls need me. I can freak out later.

"Coming!" I call back, quickly hiding the test and splashing some water on my face.

The rest of the evening passes in a blur. I go through the motions of dinner and bedtime routines, my mind a million miles away. As I tuck the girls in, I can't help but imagine what it'll be like to have a baby of my own.

"Miss Kenzie?" Hazel's sleepy voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Are you okay? You seem sad."

I smile and tears well in my eyes as I smooth her curls back from her forehead. "I'm not sad, button. Just thinking about some grown-up stuff."

"Is it about Daddy?" Harper pipes up. "He's been grumpy lately."

My heart clenches. They've noticed the tension, too. "Don't worry about that. Your daddy just has a lot on his mind. Now, time for sleep."

I kiss them both goodnight and head downstairs, my stomach in knots. Everett should be home soon. I need to tell him about the baby. But first, I need to decide how I feel about all of it.

The sound of the front door opening makes me jump. Everett's home early.

"Kenzie?" His deep voice carries through the house. "We need to talk."

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